Insiders say Trump may invoke martial law to control November elections

New reporting reveals that several confidants of Donald Trump think he may use a "national security emergency" or even martial law to seize control of the midterm elections. Attorney Peter Ticktin, a longtime associate, outlined three possible outcomes: a smooth election, pre-election intervention, or a martial-law declaration around November 3. Ticktin downplayed the risk of unrest, saying the military is far larger than perceived.

Trump has previously responded coyly to calls for emergency powers from radio host Wayne Allyn Root and has publicly repeated baseless claims of winning the 2020 election while urging supporters to "cheat like hell." At a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, he reiterated these false narratives, and election deniers like Root received applause for suggesting a security emergency could overturn results. Despite advisors trying to steer him away from unfounded fraud theories, the threat of such extreme action remains, according to insiders.